National Updates
Department of Treasury
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on May 21 it has distributed $6.1 billion through the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) 2 program in less than two weeks since $21.6 billion was allocated for the program from the “American Recovery Plan Act.”
Treasury Deputy Secretary Adeyemo met with Los Angeles tenants and landlords on May 20 to discuss how the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program is helping prevent evictions and ensure housing security in Southern California. Deputy Secretary Adeyemo noted the benefits of delivering ERA assistance to vulnerable households through partnerships with community-based nonprofits that provide culturally relevant services.
Reporting
Vox reports on challenges in distributing federal emergency rental assistance (ERA), highlighting NLIHC’s ERA resources. “The money came late,” said NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel. “The money came when tenants had already accrued nearly $50 billion in rent arrears. So now we’re playing a game of catch-up.”
The Washington Post examines why a flood of federal emergency rental assistance (ERA) has been slow to reach those who need it most. Despite new ERA guidance from Treasury urging programs to adopt less burdensome standards, NLIHC’s ERA dashboard finds that only about 155 of the 364 programs have done so.
CNBC documents how struggling renters can apply for federal emergency rental assistance (ERA). NLIHC Vice President for Research Andrew Aurand notes the unprecedented need for ERA, stating that “when the moratorium expires, we could have millions of renters at risk of eviction.”
Despite the Biden administration’s decision to cover the full costs of eligible non-congregate sheltering through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program, Grist found that as of April 7, only 23 local governments, including one federal tribe, have submitted funding requests.
NLIHC Policy Analyst Noah Patton spoke to Shelterforce about why state and local governments should be taking advantage of the unprecedented support from FEMA to house people experiencing homelessness in hotels and motels during the pandemic. Whether cities or states choose to continue or expand non-congregate sheltering (NCS) programs in light of FEMA’s decision to fully cover eligible costs speaks to those communities’ priorities, says Patton.
NPR reports that communities across the country are concerned with what will happen when the federal eviction moratorium expires at the end of June. These worries are magnified in communities, such as in Spokane, Washington, that were already struggling with rising homelessness before the pandemic. The segment highlights concern from Spokane homeless advocates and nonprofit organizations who are racing to distribute federal rental assistance.
To prevent a surge of evictions when moratoriums expire, Route Fifty says cities and states are seeking to provide new legal protections for renters by establishing “right to counsel” programs that ensure tenants facing eviction have legal representation. At least 11 states have introduced right to counsel legislation this year, and nine cities have laws in place.
Reuters reports that U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson in Nashville on May 21 denied a Tennessee landlord’s request to block the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s rule requiring debt collectors, including attorneys for landlords who file eviction cases, to provide tenants written notice of their eligibility for the CDC eviction moratorium.
Despite eviction protections, Mother Jones reports that Bay area city officials and lawyers have seen an uptick in cases of landlord harassment, lockouts, utility shutoffs, and other tactics to get around the moratorium.
State and Local News
California
According to the Los Angeles Times, housing advocates say California must do a better job helping low-income renters access emergency rental assistance. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda Solis have asked Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders to revise the Senate Bill 91 program, citing the “need for more robust, equitable and flexible emergency rental assistance.”
A survey of 177 rental assistance providers conducted by Bay Area Regional Health Inequities Initiative, Housing Now!, and PolicyLink reveals Californians experiencing deep housing and health insecurity face formidable challenges accessing rent relief.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on May 26 unanimously approved a three-month extension of the city’s eviction moratorium. The decision extends protections for San Francisco renters from the end of June to the end of September. California’s statewide eviction moratorium is expected to expire on June 30.
Colorado
Housing experts are concerned about a potential wave of evictions across Colorado when state and federal moratoriums expire in several weeks. A Colorado Newsline report shows that as of April 26, more than 7,500 evictions have been filed in Colorado since the start of 2021.
Colorado Public Radio answers frequently asked questions about evictions and housing assistance in Colorado.
Hawaii
Hawaii’s eviction moratorium is set to expire on June 8, and Governor David Ige has not yet decided if he will extend the protections. Housing advocates argue that lifting the eviction moratorium will overwhelm the courts. There are hundreds of millions of federal rent relief that has not been distributed yet.
Idaho
Despite the federal eviction moratorium, eviction rates in Idaho are returning to pre-pandemic levels. States and cities that established their own eviction moratoriums are seeing lower eviction rates than communities where tenants were protected only by federal eviction moratoriums.
Indiana
Prosperity Indiana co-released with the Indiana Institute for Working Families and Indiana Youth Institute, Policy Brief: A Year in Review: Housing Instability Trends for Hoosier Families and Counties Most Affected by COVID-19. Data show that Hoosier renter households are increasingly unable to make their housing payments. The brief outlines local, state, and federal policy recommendations to ensure federal resources reach the households most in need.
Prosperity Indiana also published an overview of Indiana's Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Programs, “Indiana’s Emergency Rental Assistance: Program Outlines and Recommendations for Equitable Outcomes.” The overview reviews the requirements of Indiana’s six local ERA programs and one statewide ERA program and provides recommendations on maximizing the equity and efficiency of ERA programs.
Maryland
The Baltimore Sun reports that Baltimore will continue housing about 500 people experiencing homelessness in hotel rooms through September, extending its emergency contracts as the city considers purchasing a hotel to provide long-term housing.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts’ housing advocates, including the Western Massachusetts Network to End Homelessness, have identified seven amendments as priorities for the Senate budget to expand assistance and protections for those at risk of evictions or foreclosures. Amendment No. 371 would extend CDC eviction protections in Massachusetts through the end of 2021.
Minnesota
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on May 19 that his office has resolved an enforcement action against a landlord who forced her tenants out of their home in violation of the statewide eviction moratorium. The landlord must pay the former tenants $3,500 in part to reimburse the tenants for their out-of-pocket costs in being evicted.
MinnPost reports that lawmakers remain at an impasse over how and when to end Minnesota’s eviction moratorium, with one legislator raising the possibility that no agreement will be reached in time for the mid-June special session.
Missouri
A major owner of apartments around St. Louis is accused of violating the CDC eviction moratorium.
Nevada
The Nevada Assembly introduced legislation that would stay an eviction proceeding if a tenant has an application for rental assistance pending. The legislation, if passed, would go into effect on July 1, when the CDC eviction moratorium is set to expire. Governor Steve Sisolak issued a statement on Assembly Bill 486, thanking the legislature for introducing this critical legislation that will help ensure rental assistance reaches those who need it most.
Multiple agencies are joining efforts to connect Southern Nevadans with legal assistance and mediation to help tenants remain in their homes. The Southern Nevada Eviction Prevention Program offers a variety of resources for struggling tenants and landlords.
Las Vegas courts are preparing for a surge in eviction cases when the statewide eviction moratorium expires on May 31.
New Jersey
The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey and other housing advocates are raising concerns about a new bipartisan bill that would ban evictions during the pandemic but allow landlords to pursue missed rent as civil debt. The bill would offer about $750 million in rental assistance, but lawmakers and housing advocates have different interpretations of how the money could be used.
New York
Dozens of community members, local leaders, and housing and homeless advocates are urging Governor Andrew Cuomo immediately to use $100 million allocated for the conversion of distressed hotels and motels into housing for people experiencing homelessness. The advocates are also urging legislators to pass the Housing Our Neighbors with Dignity Act, which establishes the plan for New York to buy distressed hotels and convert them into permanent and safe housing.
Oregon
Oregon Governor Kate Brown signed a measure into law on May 19 that gives tenants facing financial struggles during the pandemic until February 28, 2022 to pay back rent. The Associated Press reports that Senate Bill 282 also protects tenants from the long-term consequences of not making payments on time by prohibiting reporting to consumer credit agencies and removing back rents from consideration when submitting future rental applications. The law prohibits landlords from denying applicants based on COVID-era evictions and allows these evictions to be kept secret.
Texas
Dallas Evictions 2020, a group of pro bono lawyers providing eviction assistance during the pandemic, has helped more than 7,000 tenants avoid eviction. Through donations, the group has helped families pay back rent and hire legal representation.
Virginia
As the federal eviction moratorium draws to a close at the end of June, many Virginia renters are concerned about what will happen next. Eleven percent of Virginia renters are behind on their rent, which is 123,000 households, mostly people of color.
Washington
Seattle housing advocates are voicing concern about a potential tsunami of evictions when the state eviction moratorium expires at the end of June. Solid Ground, a Seattle-based organization that provides services to tenants in need, is warning that the end of Washington’s eviction moratorium could have wide-ranging, severe consequences for the Greater Seattle area.
Washington, D.C.
The Washington Post reports the D.C. Council held an hours-long meeting on May 21 to consider how to lift COVID-19 emergency programs while averting a tsunami of evictions and foreclosures. Top concerns raised during the hearing were a plan proposed by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson to end the city’s eviction ban for nonpayment of rent and the looming deadline for distributing federal emergency rental assistance (ERA). Out of thousands of applications D.C. has received for ERA through Stay D.C., only 500 tenants have received assistance.